These comments are the opinions of the writer David G. Coy. He alone is responsible for them. They do not represent NRA or NRA-ILA policies of legislative priorities. Only the Executive Director of NRA-ILA and the Executive Vice President of NRA may promulgate official legislative positions and issue official commentary on legislative and regulatory issues with which the Association is involved.
NRA Activities
Rights that are not exercised are rights that are lost.
Shortly after I first began my service as an NRA Board Member, Dr. Caplan (may he Rest in Peace) spoke these words during a Board Meeting. I have never forgotten them.
Yes – NRA is the premier advocacy organization defending the right to keep and bear the private arms of our choice. And it is a necessary burden that NRA gladly shoulders.
But the purposes for this advocacy cannot be forgotten. Plinking, target shooting, self-defense, competitive shooting of all types, hunting, teaching safety, gun collecting and other activities represent the reason we engage in pro-gun advocacy. These are the some of the lawful activities that NRA’s forthright and unapologetic advocacy protects.
Competitive Shooting
I am a strong supporter of competitive shooting. It is a natural outgrowth and validation of one’s firearm education and training.
In January of 2023, the NRA Board approved making F-Class Rifle its own discipline. In August of 2023, the F-Class Committee met and wrote the rule book for this discipline, which was adopted at the January 2024 Board of Director’s meeting. I was honored to be a part of this successful effort, and I received a tremendous education though my participation in the rule book writing process.
NRA sanctions a multitude of events in all types of disciplines, from precision pistol to long range rifle. NRA also partners with other shooting sports organizations such as the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA) and sponsors an event at the Amateur Trapshooting Association’s (ATA) Grand American Trap Shoot held at the World Recreational and Shooting Complex in Sparta, Illinois.
I enjoy all of the shooting sports, but I am the most passionate about trapshooting. That is where I started. I am a long-time ATA Life Member. With kids in soccer, Scouting (both boys are Eagle Scouts) and subsequently in College, I took a number of years off from it. Since they are both successful and on their own (and off the family “payroll”) I again have time to shoot.
Besides trapshooting, I have competed in the NRA National Matches in the Harry Reeves Pistol Event and when it was offered, the “Made in America” small bore event. For those who know of it, from 1984 to 1989 I shot at the Second Chance Bowling Pin Shoot. Recently, I shot my first F-Class Open long range rifle match at the Nationals at Ben Avery this past October. I am extremely intrigued by this discipline and I intend to pursue it. In general, I am also improving my other shooting skills by “practicing with purpose” using the NRA’s Marksmanship Qualification Program.
For more on NRA competitive shooting, please visit https://competitions.nra.org/
For NRA’s World Shooing Championship, please visit https://wsc.nra.org/match-info/
For the Marksmanship Qualification Program, please visit https://mqp.nra.org/
Education and Training
Recognizing the fact that soldiers in the Union Army lacked marksmanship skills, Colonel William C. Church and General George Wingate took action to remedy this situation by founding the NRA. Since that time, NRA has been in the forefront of firearms education and training.
I became an NRA Certified Instructor many, many years ago in five disciplines (Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Personal Protection in the Home and Home Firearms Safety). When my kids entered Scouting, I became a Range Safety Officer and was also approved as a Merit Badge Counselor to teach the shooting sports merit badge courses.
Of all of the courses, my favorite is Home Firearms Safety. This four hour course (which does not involve shooting) introduces people to all types of firearms and promotes safe handling and storage practices. I personally believe this course (along with a hunter safety course) should be taught in all school systems.
To learn more about NRA’s instructional courses and education programs, please visit https://www.nrainstructors.org/
Please also visit https://nra.yourlearningportal.com/nra/user_training.aspx
To learn more about the history and other resources available through the NRA, please visit https://explore.nra.org/interests/history/
Gun Collecting
If you like history and you get into the details of certain categories of firearms then gun collecting is an extremely worthwhile endeavor.
It is a tremendous fun to look for and establish the “provenance” of a particular firearm. People tend to think of this as which famous person owned that gun. This, quite frankly, is a narrow view of this concept. Provenance can be documenting the history of a family heirloom; Where did it come from? When was it manufactured and when and where was it purchased? Which family member used it? Are their any photos or newspaper articles? You get the idea.
It is also an interesting and unknown fact that the development of commerce in firearms was the spark the kindled the industrial revolution in the USA and elsewhere in the world. It was not the cotton gin (a commercial failure) but it was the pioneering of the use of interchangeable parts by Eli Whitney to build muskets that spawned the worldwide use of this concept which is taken for granted today.
The development of this commerce in the USA is chronicled in the sequence of galleries in NRA’s National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia and also in the galleries in NRA’s other two museums. For more information and to access virtual tours, please visit https://www.nramuseum.org/
Hunting
NRA’s pro-hunting activities are not widely known, even among many NRA members. The fact is that without guns, there will be no hunting. Make no mistake, NRA is definitely “all in” in terms of promoting, protecting and defending hunting activities.
NRA’s Hunter Leadership Forum (HLF) is a program of the NRA designed to provide funding to promote hunting. For information about the amazing array of things with which this group is involved, please visit https://www.nrahlf.org/
NRA also has an online hunter education program that is available free of charge and accepted in 14 states. For more information, please visit:
Please vote for David G. Coy on your ballot in the March 2024 NRA official journal
I’m honored to be serving as your second Vice President of the Board of Directors. I humbly and respectfully ask for your support and your vote so I can continue the on-going and never-ending fight to keep and bear the arms of our personal choice. Thank you for your consideration.
Only 7 percent of eligible members vote. If you’re a fully paid NRA Life Member or you’ve been an NRA member for 5 consecutive years, then you’re an NRA voting member. You should have received the annual Board of Directors ballot in the mail, with your magazine subscription or separately. It is sent to voting members in February.
Second Amendment Advocacy
Freedom and the NRA